


The Magic Position

by curiously_me



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, time travel (sort of), young Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-23
Updated: 2012-01-23
Packaged: 2017-10-30 09:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/330251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiously_me/pseuds/curiously_me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and his mother visit a traveling fair and while there, he receives a strange gift from an equally strange man.  A songfic based on Patrick Wolf's <i>The Magic Position<i>.</i></i></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Magic Position

It's fair day and Merlin has never been so excited in his short life. Mother is finally allowing him to come along and he can hardly stand still, he's so impatient for the day to begin. Will's been saying for forever that the fair is the best thing ever!

When they arrive on the meadow where the fair has set up this year, Merlin feels his eyes going wide in awe at the spectacle before him. There are so many different people! Jugglers, wild animal tamers, knife throwers and puppeteers. He doesn't know where to go first.

"Merlin, remember please. Only spend that coin on something you really want, alright dear?"

Merlin nods his answer to his mother, completely speechless.

They part ways and he spends his time running from booth to booth, trying to find just the right something to buy. He nearly gives up all hope, when something catches his eye.

"Aw, I fine eye you have there, young one!" The shopkeeper says, stepping forward and handing Merlin the small pendant he'd been admiring.

"What is it?" Merlin asks, curious.

The shopkeeper laughs and looks into the far distance, as if he's remembering something wonderful.

"That my boy, is the crest of the Pendragon family. They are the rulers of Camelot and the prince has just turned twelve today."

Merlin perks up at this. "I'm eleven." He states, proudly.

"I had guessed as much." The man laughs again. "Well, then you should keep it. Think of it as a belated birthday gift."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course. You'd better run along now, your mother's probably wondering where you are." The shopkeeper says, shooing the young boy off.

Before he leaves, Merlin darts forward and hugs the man as tight as he can, small arms wrapping around his waist.

"Thank you! It's the best present ever! I'll never forget it!" He exclaims, darting off down the dirt path.

"That was awfully generous of you, my Lord." The voice comes from behind the shopkeeper and he turns in response.

"Do you mean to tell me that you still think so little of me? Even after all of these years? Honestly, Merlin, I would have thought the repetition of watching my generosity would have sunk in by now!"

Another man, only a few years younger, steps out of the shadows and embraces the shopkeeper just as tightly as the boy had only moments ago.

"Come along, now. It's time we went back, don't you think?"

They turn and walk the opposite way the young Merlin had gone, shadows and fog closing in and hiding them from view as if they'd never been.


End file.
